Dec 18th, 2008
Posted by Amy Long, Drug Law Reform Project at 2:31pm	Criminal Law Reform

Calls for Drug Law Reform Top Obama Transition Website at change.gov

President-elect Barack Obama offered Americans a unique opportunity to directly relay their concerns to the incoming administration when his change.gov website unveiled its "Open for Questions" tool late last week. The result of that tool's first round of voting may have surprised Obama and his staff: two of the top ten questions –including the highest ranking question – concerned marijuana policy and questions that challenged the drug war in general took 16 of the top 50 spots. Many were disappointed, though unsurprised, by the administration's response to the question that landed in the top slot. When asked whether or not he would "consider legalizing marijuana so that the government [could] tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs [and] a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.," Obama's team responded with a resounding "no," stating simply that the President-elect "is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana."

Though Obama previously voiced his tentative support for marijuana decriminalization and ending federal raids on state-sanctioned medical marijuana providers, he has never spoken in favor of all-out legalization. Indeed, had Obama answered the question affirmatively, he would have broken with a powerful, 40-year-old political tradition that requires government representatives to endorse strictly prohibitionist, punitive drug policies despite mounting evidence of their inefficacy in order to avoid appearing "soft on crime."

The administration's dismissive response fails to acknowledge the degree to which marijuana law reform is at its heart not really about marijuana at all, but rather about how we want to spend our increasingly limited financial resources and how much government intrusion into our private lives we are willing to allow. As a nation, we currently spend billions of dollars launching propagandistic, counterproductive anti-marijuana media campaigns; funding inefficient, abusive law enforcement tactics; and locking up otherwise law-abiding citizens. Ending this irrational, costly and constitutionally corrosive war on marijuana would free up that money for use in improving education, providing access to healthcare, and rebuilding America's outdated transportation and public infrastructure – all of which Obama vowed to prioritize during his successful bid for the White House.

Despite his uninspiring response to the question of marijuana legalization, those interested in alternatives to the "war on drugs" should not give up hope that Obama might approach drug-related issues in a more responsible, ethical, and thoughtful way than have his predecessors. On his transition website, Obama promises outright to eliminate sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine offenses, expand the use of drug courts, and offer more comprehensive support services for ex-offenders – including substance abuse and mental health counseling. Moreover, Obama's willingness to engage ordinary citizens through interactive, web-based communication tools like "Open for Questions" stands in sharp contrast to the lack of transparency and accountability that has characterized the outgoing administration. If nothing else, concerned Americans can rest assured that their dissatisfaction with our current drug policies has been brought to the attention of the incoming President. And if you have yet to voice your opposition to the "war on drugs" or any other pressing civil liberties concerns facing the Obama administration, change.gov will re-launch its "Open for Questions" tool within days of this post!

Permalink |	Criminal Law Reform

1. gangstalking Says:
   Dec 18th, 2008 at 5:04pm

   After visiting the November.org website and reading the stories from behind the wall, I was shocked and made sad about what is happening to these people. The lives and the families that have been destroyed by this bogus war on drugs. Reform needed to happen and it needed to happen yesterday. I can no longer believe that it is in the best interest of society to place people in jail for small amounts of narcotics.

   I don't agree with legalising it, but it should be decriminalized. Maybe they should be fined and made to do community service to give back to the society, but placing these people in jail is wrong, and the people going to jail are the ones who had the moral fiber to do the time for their crimes rather than choosing to get out scot free.

   Reforms are needed.

2. wild;) Says:
   Dec 18th, 2008 at 6:59pm

   I agree the change.gov site at least gives a new public input channel, and allows viewing of posts. The site presents a lots of executive branch subjects. I'll give the site time to develop because I searched the site for my issue of interest (FMCSA HOS rules) and I got 62 results...all unrelated. lol

3. pmprescott Says:
   Dec 18th, 2008 at 8:40pm

   Label me cynical, but this smacks of a boss who puts up a "Suggestion Box" in the lunch room to make the peasants feel that they're being listened to, when actually nothing changes.

4. TEB1952 Says:
   Dec 25th, 2008 at 2:25am

   We need to help struggling people who have made right choices before we statr spending our limited resources on people who have made wrong choices. It is a sad statement when a convicted felon can get more help than someone working two or three jobs at fast food places, because he did not decide to sell or use drugs instead. Drugs by prescription, including mary-jane should be allowed. But we don't need another legal way for people to cripple their minds any further. Too many people have proven they are not capable of using drugs responsibly

5. Dan Says:
   Dec 27th, 2008 at 2:47pm

   Why am I not surprised that the great male hope supports buisness as usual in the drug wars.

6. grandpat37160 Says:
   Dec 28th, 2008 at 5:13pm

   legalize drugs.put sales in government distribution.decriminalize drug use.

7. Rita Says:
   Dec 29th, 2008 at 4:59pm

   Merry Christmas!

8. MarcusBrutus Says:
   Dec 29th, 2008 at 7:40pm

   @TEB1952: It's none of your, or the governments, business what other people do with their bodies. Your assertion that "too many people have proven they are not capable of using drugs responsibly" is flawed. Why should responsible drug users be punished when they have done nothing wrong? There are laws in place already that punish people for irresponsible behavior.

   As for the response on the Change.gov site; They blew us off, plain and simple. Don't make excuses for them.

9. heather Says:
   Jan 7th, 2009 at 3:23am

   i have ms and use marijauna to handle my pain,it needs to be decrimanalized,in north america,for this purpose

10. Mr. Smith Says:
    Jan 23rd, 2009 at 2:55am

    I would hope by now enough people have paid the price for the use of a plant.
    Thank god it was not potato's that was illegal or 3/4 of the world would be behind bars. Legalize it already stop turning our people into real criminals over a plant! When we talk of gate way drugs pot was not my gate way drug it was cigarettes, but let's not get hung up with that. Why don't we look at the real harm POT has caused us as a people? Over the years the war on drugs has been no more than a war on its own people for a choice to do as we will to our self’s. So yes we need a change. Please don't turn one more child into a criminal. Because every time you put your son daughter brother mother father in prison with murders rappers /thieves for smoking pot, well you do the math! What you get back is a person now trained by those same people we locked up for real crimes.
    Please see it in your hearts to change this. And let us unlock the doors on those poor souls. And let us do what is right for a change! In weed you can find FOOD FULE FIBER AND MORE legalize it and take the money out of it and the crime will leave too, PROABITION DIDN'T WORK NOR HAS THIS WAR ON DRUGS. All we have done is raise the price for a plant that was free .Again do the math please, when the price goes up so does the crime rate!!! 1970s price rate -1 once 10.00 dollars 2009 price rate 100.00 dollars for a 1/4 once HUMMMM again please do the math!!!! AND stop the crime / war on us peace loving people!!!! Just maybe if it were Legal we use the money for real help and create jobs as well. My self I would not find our government soft on drugs but rather open minded and doing what’s right. FYI the food we eat the houses we live in the cars we drive most likely had a weed head in the mix. And I know a lot of responsible weed heads who work every day, their kids do well in school, live in nice houses and have food and clean clothes and are very much loved. So not all weed heads live with mommy and daddy and suck the life out of them as seen on TV!!!!

11. ---- Says:
    Jan 24th, 2009 at 6:03pm

    agreed, i feel the same man in my neihborhood ive seen it all drug dealings, cold blooded killings, three 16 year olds were shot dead in cold blood over stupid crap that could have been avoided. ive seen a lot of people loose there jobs and had to resort to dealing to make up for it, putting there ass on the line while they are looking for a job to pay the bills, i mean normal people with kids, and in the end some get caught and some dont. But the ones that do they serve out 15 year sentences all cuz they were trying to feed there familys. now there kids grow up with out there loving father there to teach them how to be a responsible adult. one parent alone shouldnt be left with teaching there kids how to be responsible adult its madness what this world has done for our kids future. theres no more middle class, and most of all something that grows naturally, and that we could use for recreational use and for medical use is outlawed and FOR WHAT? exactly someone please tell me why people fear marijuana. im 22 years old right now but why dose it feel like im 45 i work hard but still dont make enough to pay all my bills, proper education here is a laugh. everyday i notice my neighbor hood getting worse and suffering from 8 years of political bullshit. this government needs to wake up before its too late to save our children we dont need another dictator we need a leader.

12. LegalizeFreedom Says:
    Feb 18th, 2009 at 6:35pm

    Marijuna, like booze, should not be legal, but decriminalized. Liquor is not legal. If it were, anyone at any age could buy it, sell it, etc. Booze is decriminalized so it can be regulated. The same should be done with pot. Will it end kids trying it? No, but it will put a huge dent in organized and unorganized crime. It will also alleviate the billions of dollars wasted fighting it. How has the so-called drug war worked out? The main casualty has been civil liberties and people sent to gladiator schools. All the money not spent on fighting it could go to, oh I don't know, education, drug rehab, foodstamps... things to help people instead of keeping them down. People will always do drugs. Always. Whether its nicotine, booze, food or religion, people need their fixes.